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Go green in your garden: VIKING garden shredders.

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The garden should be an oasis of relaxation and personal

satisfaction. It is also a piece of nature that needs to be

cared for and managed effectively. This can be a fulfi lling

task for many amateur gardeners, when reliable tools

are available to make gardening work easier – such as a

practical garden shredder.

Garden shredders can be incredibly useful machines for

several reasons: They tidy up waste such as lawn, tree

and hedge cuttings, leaves and withered fl owers. They

also create space and relieve you of bulky branches,

bushy twigs and plant trimmings which are produced

each year. In the process, shredders signifi cantly reduce

the volume of the cuttings. These can then be more

easily disposed of, or used in a space-saving manner as

the basis for mulch or compost.

Finally, a garden shredder can provide valuable raw

material. The composted shredded material contains

exactly the right balance of nutrients that your garden

plants need in order to fl ourish. To aid this, the shredder’s

blade systems shred the plant trimmings so fi nely that

they quickly decompose to form high quality fertiliser.

VIKING garden shredders – power for life in your garden.

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Volume reduction 4

Cost saving 5

A tidy garden 6

Natural protection and fertiliser 7

Produce your own fertiliser 8-9

Correct composting 10-12

Shredding throughout the year 13

Benefi ts all-round 14

Safety 15

Garden shredder range 16-18

Summary 19

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Garden shredders create space. They convert large

volumes of tree and shrub cuttings, as well as other

plant trimmings, into fine shredded material. This

can then be used as ground-covering material or as

compost to form fertiliser and humus. The shredded

plant trimmings can be composted in a dedicated bin

or composter and different types of material can also

be mixed in. By shredding material first, the creation

of compost is quickened as the material has already

begun to be broken down before inclusion.

Create space and order in your garden.

The amount of garden waste is, of course, heavily

dependent on the size and the planting design of

your garden. In a garden of average planting with an

area of 1000 m2, approx. 125 m3 of clippings and plant

trimmings are generated each year. This volume can be

greatly reduced using a suitable garden shredder.

The shredder benefit: reduce the volume of your plant trimmings by an average of 75%.

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Save money with your shredder.

As a garden owner, you will need to find a way of

disposing of your cuttings and clippings. If you choose

the composting route, you will return valuable nutrients

to your garden. By doing this, you will no longer need to

buy large amounts of expensive fertiliser.

The alternative to composting is disposal of your

clippings in an organic waste bin. Here you will also

benefit from the use of a shredder, because it reduces

the volume of the garden waste by an average of 75%.

In this way, you save space in your organic waste bin,

and therefore money too.

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As a gardener, you’ll love seeing your plants flourish.

But it can sometimes become too much of a good thing.

The cherry tree grows too far into the neighbouring

property, the fir tree takes up too much space and a

creeper may overgrow your pergola.

In such cases, a shredder can quickly remedy the

situation. Simply cut back the plants, shred the tree and

shrub cuttings, compost it – and relax. Your garden is

neat and tidy in no time at all.

A shredder can always help to provide order in your

garden. Make use of this easy and practical option to

dispose of withered summer flowers, sprawling hedge

cuttings, undesirable branches or leaves on the lawn.

You can also use your garden shredder to reduce flower

and vegetable cuttings too. Take advantage and shred

unsightly plant trimmings immediately using the garden

shredder.

Helpful tip: Use the shredded material to cover the

areas under trees and shrubs. This not only prevents

the spread of undergrowth, but also gives the garden

a cleaner and tidier appearance.

Retain a tidy garden.

Advantages:

- Shredded material is converted into valuable natural fertiliser

- Vital nutrients are returned to the garden and the plants

- Cost savings are achieved by no longer requiring artificial fertilisers

- You create space and order in your garden

What can be shredded?In principle, VIKING garden shredders can process almost

everything that your garden produces in the way of lawn

clippings and garden waste. The main distinction is made

between hard and soft material. Hard materials include

branches, twigs and hedge cuttings, whereas soft materials are

flower cuttings, vegetable and fruit residues as well as leaves,

for example. Of course, normally a mixed form of shredding

material is produced in the garden.

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In the countryside, dead plant material – such as leaves

– provides natural protection and fertiliser for the

soil. You can also mirror this principle and spread your

shredded material on the ground in a thin layer.

As a result, this natural covering layer will protect the

garden soil under all weather conditions. It prevents

washing out due to rain and it acts as an insulator

against heat and frost. Approximately a third less

water evaporates from covered soil than from

unprotected ground. In addition, the soil structure is

sustainably improved. Micro-organisms break down

the plant trimmings slowly, creating new humus and

nutrients. Weed seeds cannot germinate, as no light can

penetrate through to them, and ornamental plants are

protected against disease and pests.

Note: Lawn clippings mixed with shredded branch

material is the ideal mix for mulching material.

Ensure that the lawn clippings are spread out loosely

for pre-drying, because fresh, wet grass sticks together

and prevents the soil from breathing.

Natural protection and fertiliser for the soil.

By visiting our professional VIKING Approved Dealers,

you can find out for yourself just how quiet the latest

generation of garden shredders is. As an example, we utilise special

noise-reducing materials in our chutes. In addition, we are continuously

working towards even lower noise emissions for our garden shredders.

The good relationship with the neighbours should not be spoilt due to

noisy shredding activity.

You will be surprised at how quiet our shredders are.

Re-using the natural shredded material you produce provides an instant

rejuvenation for your garden.

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Compost made from shredded plant trimmings is

the world’s oldest and most natural form of fertiliser.

Compost returns the consumed nutrients and

trace elements to the soil, and revitalises soil life

as no other fertiliser can. This is hardly surprising

as a handful of compost contains approximately ten

billion organisms.

Compost thus significantly improves soil conditions.

The result: Plants become more resistant to pests

and growth is accelerated. For this reason, every

gardener can cut back bushes, shrubs and flowers,

knowing that this recyclable waste will not be lost but

can soon be made available to the garden as fertiliser

or mulching material.

And composting also saves money. Less fertiliser

needs to be purchased and less waste goes into the

bin.

Produce your own fertiliser.

What to do with all the leaves?Collect the leaves conveniently, in the grass catcher

box of a VIKING lawn mower or lawn tractor, for

example. Shred the leaves and mix them with fresh

lawn clippings. This kills two birds with one stone.

The lawn clippings are aerated, as the leaf remains

prevent sticking together and decay; whilst the leaves

enrich the nitrogenous clippings with carbon – the ideal

prerequisite for successful composting.

Tip:

Achieving the correct mix is essential: The mix of “green” nitrogenous and “brown” carbonaceous plant trimmings created during shredding produces an ideal fertiliser for further processing in your garden.

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Good fertiliser is created when the ratio of carbon to

nitrogen (C/N) is optimised during composting. The

best value for a balanced C/N ratio is between 25:1 and

30:1.

If the carbon content is too high, the plant trimmings

decompose more slowly. This is because a lack of

nitrogen restricts the micro-organisms both in building

body substance and in reproduction.

However, too much nitrogen also has disadvantages.

Decomposition then takes place quickly, but too few

stable humus compounds are created.

For this reason, you should observe the correct

mixture ratio of the starting materials when layering

the compost heap. The C/N ratio for lawn clippings is

between 12:1 and 25:1, for vegetable waste 13:1, for

leaves between 30:1 and 60:1 and for mixed garden

waste between 20:1 and 60:1. With this in mind, your

garden can offer the perfect basis for good fertiliser –

and all free of charge.

Note: Compost exhibits various degrees of maturity

and has a different appearance at each stage. Good,

finished compost has no unpleasant odour. It

should smell and look like fertile soil.

Creating the ideal fertiliser.

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Collect and sort systematically: Separate branch

material from soft plant trimmings and damp, earthy

material.

Do not pile up large quantities of the same material,

but always mix materials (e.g. lawn cuttings with wood

chips).

Always place the compost container on the ground.

Ensure protection against washing out, water-logging

and drying out and provide for good ventilation. Protect

the material against rain.

The composting process takes several months,

depending on the time of year and the ambient

temperature. When the compost has matured it

smells pleasantly of forest soil and fungus.

Shredding makes conversion of the garden waste

into nutritious finished compost even easier. This

is due to the shredding process of branches, twigs

and shrubs, tearing up the trimmings. This increases

the surface area, the microbes work more effectively

due to the larger “area of attack” and the garden waste

decomposes faster.

Note: If you use shredded material, subsequent turning

over of the compost is no longer required.

Composting made easy.

Tip:

Passing shredded material repeatedly through your garden shredder provides optimal mixing, aeration and re-shredding.

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What can be composted? All organic, decom-

posable materials from the garden and household

such as green waste, flowers, shrubs, leaves, lawn

clippings, cuttings from trees, bushes and hedges,

balcony plants, house plants, kitchen scraps (fruit and

vegetables), tea, coffee, eggs, limited amounts of wood

shavings and sawdust.

Not recommended for composting are weeds with

a lot of seeds or roots, diseased plants, paper and

cardboard. Totally unsuitable for composting are

metals, meat leftovers, plastics etc.

Where is the ideal place for composting? The ideal

location is semi-shaded, protected from the wind and

providing room for collecting, sorting, shredding and

composting. A pitchfork and a shovel should be close

at hand for filling, aerating and removing the compost.

If you are operating an electric shredder, you will require

an accessible mains connection. If an electricity supply

is not available nearby, a VIKING petrol driven shredder

may be a solution. The distance to any neighbouring

properties should also be considered.

Three compost bins are ideal: If there is enough

room, and it is possible, three bins are an ideal solution;

one for composting, one for the finished compost and

one more for collecting dry plant trimmings. Simple,

well-ventilated collecting containers made from

wood or plastic have proved to be successful for

this purpose.

Collection and storage of composting material.

A suitable mix of shredded hard and soft material from the garden as well as kitchen waste is the perfect basis for good compost.

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Ten rules for good compost.

1. Gather the correct proportions of nitrogenous and

carbonaceous plant trimmings.

2. Remember, compost needs air. Therefore, never

lay the material in a trench and do not use containers

which are closed on all sides.

3. Do not place the compost heap on a solid base made

of stone, concrete etc. The compost requires an

“earth connection”, so that earthworms and small

organisms can penetrate it.

4. Earthworms are beneficial to your compost heap

and are attracted by phlox and elder, for example.

Onion skins, chive residues, ground coffee and tea

leaves are also favourite foods for earthworms.

5. Create order in your compost heap. For the

bottom layer, pile up coarse shredded material –

approximately 20 cm high. On top of this add mixed,

finer materials such as leaves or shredded material.

6. Thinly spread in lawn clippings – to prevent the

danger of decay!

7. Always cover kitchen waste with soil, as it

attracts vermin.

8. Avoid totally dry conditions, as micro-organisms

in compost heaps need moisture.

9. Do not water the compost excessively.

10. Cover up the finished compost heap.

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If you wish to permanently improve the appearance

of your garden and treat it consistently with natural

fertiliser, then a garden shredder is an indispensable

aid. It can be relied upon throughout the gardening

year.

High season for the shredder is of course the

autumn. As the days get shorter, you can prepare the

garden for the winter break and thus ensure a fertile

garden season in the following year. You may need to

prune trees and trim hedges and shrubs. Or you may

clear large quantities of leaves from the lawn and mow

it for the last time before the frost and snow arrives.

Whatever your specific activities, in autumn you are

likely to produce large amounts of plant trimmings

which you can recycle and beneficially utilise with the

aid of your shredder.

However, the use of a shredder is also extremely

practical during the spring and summer, when large

amounts of organic waste can be processed: branches,

flower cuttings, kitchen waste and much more. Whether

you trim a sprawling clematis or prune your roses – the

shredder can convert your cuttings into nutritious

fertiliser and high-grade structural material for your

compost. Simply and quickly.

Shredding throughout the year.

Shredders can be practically used in the garden from spring through to autumn.

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As with all good investments including garden

shredders, the numerous advantages and potential

for savings more than compensate for the purchase

costs.

- You need less artificial fertiliser and humus, because

you convert your clippings into high-grade fertilising

material.

- You utilise the raw materials from your own garden in

an appropriate manner and support the natural cycle.

- If you have to dispose of your garden waste via the

organic waste bin, you can make significant savings

on charges due to the reduced volumes achieved.

- You create space and order in your garden.

- By purchasing a high quality garden shredder, you

will be rewarded with robustness, reliability and long

service life.

- You will avoid the import of contaminants from

bought-in humus.

The decision on the worth of buying a shredder is not

a question of garden size, but of the planting design.

Even in small gardens, a lot of shredding material may

be produced, especially if it contains lush bushes and

trees, bushy shrubs and hedges. In addition, natural

lawn clippings and kitchen waste may also be produced.

With a suitable shredder you can, even in a small garden,

recycle everything – quickly and easily.

A shredder always pays.

The shredder – even in small gardens.

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Your safety is a priority for us at VIKING and you should

always be confident in the shredder you are using. You

should only work with a machine which has passed all

relevant safety and quality regulations. We voluntarily have

all machines certified by independent test institutions

such as the TÜV (Technical Supervisory Association).

When purchasing a shredder, you should also be aware

of the feed chute characteristics. It should be high

enough so that you cannot reach the cutting tools with

your hands.

Ensure that neither soil, stones, glass, nor plastic

components are fed into the shredder. These will cause

damage to the cutting blades.

If the discharge opening should become blocked,

switch off the machine first before looking to remedy

the fault.

In addition, you should ensure that the extension cable

is kept away from the danger area of the blade.

Finally, check whether the power socket is equipped

with an installed, legally-prescribed residual current

operated device. This switches the shredder off

automatically in the case of a cable being damaged.

Everything for your safety.

Safety checklist:

- When working, always wear gloves, safety glasses, robust shoes and, if necessary, hearing protection.

- Do not allow children to work with the shredder.

- Modifications to the machine must not be made.

- Read the instruction manual before initial use.

- Place the garden shredder on firm ground and ensure that it cannot tilt.

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The right choice for every requirement.

Find out on this page which model is best suited to

your requirements.

1. How much and what type of material would you

like to process?

The selection of the appropriate garden shredder model

depends on the type and amount of material you wish

to shred.

Please refer to the chart on the right to assess which

shredders are suitable for your needs in terms of the

volume of material you wish to process and the type

of material being processed. Consideration of the type

of shredding material is a critical factor in choosing the

right machine.

2. Is an electrical power supply available?

If so, you can choose from a wide selection of electric

models. If not, our petrol machines are also available to

choose from – they are shown separately in the chart.

What to consider when selecting your garden shredder.

Checklist:

- Will hard or mixed material be processed?

- Large or small amounts of garden waste?

- Electric or petrol?

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Increasing processing quantity

Hard shredding material

= thinner branches, ø approx. 30 mm

= thicker branches, ø approx. 35-60 mm (dependent on model)

= branches with side shoots

= plant trimmings with fine roots

= fruit and vegetables

= leaves and petals

Mixed/soft shredding material

GB 460

GE 105

GE 150

GE 250 GE 355

GB 370 S

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Model GB 370 S GB 460

Engine type B&S 825 PRO Series, 6.5 HP OHV B&S 850 PRO Series RS, 6.5 HP OHV

Nominal output at working speed 3.3 kW/4.5 HP, 3,000 rpm 3.3 kW/4.5 HP, 3,000 rpm

Max. branch diameter Ø (mm) approx. 45 approx. 60

Model GE 355

Motor 230 V~

Power (kW) 2.5

Max. branch diameter Ø (mm) approx. 35

Model GE 105 GE 150 GE 250

Motor 230 V~ 230 V~ 230 V~

Power (kW) 2.2 2.5 2.5

Max. branch diameter Ø (mm) approx. 30 - 35 approx. 35 approx. 30

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Model GB 370 S GB 460

Engine type B&S 825 PRO Series, 6.5 HP OHV B&S 850 PRO Series RS, 6.5 HP OHV

Nominal output at working speed 3.3 kW/4.5 HP, 3,000 rpm 3.3 kW/4.5 HP, 3,000 rpm

Max. branch diameter Ø (mm) approx. 45 approx. 60

Model GE 105 GE 150 GE 250

Motor 230 V~ 230 V~ 230 V~

Power (kW) 2.2 2.5 2.5

Max. branch diameter Ø (mm) approx. 30 - 35 approx. 35 approx. 30

VIKING garden shredders are not only a valuable asset

for your garden, but also for the environment. Our

machines are produced using recyclable materials, thus

preserving resources for the future and when a VIKING

garden shredder reaches the end of its useful life, most

of its components can be recycled.

What is more, we use only high grade components to

ensure high quality performance and long service life.

Decades of experience combined with well-considered

design and precise workmanship are reflected in each

model. And for spare parts and servicing, you can

rely on the qualified service of your VIKING specialist

dealer.

Your VIKING garden shredder will accompany you

through many years of gardening, creating order and

space in your garden and delivering material for natural

fertiliser. You can improve your soil quality and can

dispense with artificial fertilisers. This is what we call

sustainability.

So you see: A VIKING garden shredder pays off in

the long term – for your garden, your wallet and the

environment.

VIKING garden shredders – always an asset.

ANDREAS STIHL LTD. Stihl HouseStanhope RoadCamberley Surrey GU15 3YTGREAT BRITAIN

Phone: 01276-20202Fax: 01276-670502E-mail: postmaster@stihl.co.ukwww.stihl.co.ukwww.vikingmowers.co.uk

VIKING Approved Dealer

Part No. 0483 021 0125 © 2010 VIKING GmbH, A-6336 Langkampfen/Kufstein

VIKING – a member of the STIHL group

STIHL Gesellschaft m.b. H.Mühlgasse 93A-2380 Perchtoldsdorf

Tel.: (01) 865 96 37-0 E-mail: info@stihl.atFax: (01) 865 96 73-97 www.stihl.at